The popular game of "Blackjack" or "Twenty-one" has increased in popularity in recent years as the number of legal gambling establishments increases. One cause of this increased popularity is the near parity between player and house. A second cause of blackjack's popularity is the development of a number of playing strategies which, if accurately applied, actually give the player a statistical advantage over the casino's dealer whose play is strictly regulated by casino rules.
A number of these strategies require the player to count cards. For example, using a "plus-minus" strategy whereby each of the cards numbered 3 through 6 are counted plus 1, 2's, 7's, 8's and 9's count zero and 10's, Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces are counted minus 1.
A similar "point count" strategy which requires a count of all cards in a manner similar to the "plus-minus" strategy and a strategy requiring the separate count of Aces is also known.
In any card-counting strategy the count is maintained until the deck(s) are shuffled. The count is utilized by the player in deciding whether to stand, take another card, increase the original bet, or whether to split the cards into two hands.
A problem related to any card counting strategy is related to maintaining the count accurately. Due to the rapid rate of play in most casinos it is difficult for players to maintain an accurate count of the cards while performing all of the other functions required to play the game and dealing with various distractions which commonly occur in casinos.
One solution to this problem is to use a counter. Such a counter should be capable of inconspicuous use so that a count may be kept without attracting the attention of others. However, prior counters are not suitable for this purpose. Prior electrical or mechanical counters typically have visual displays, or at best some type of tactile display which when carefully touched reveals the count. Such displays are not easily used in rapid play.
While a tactile display does address a major problem, i.e. allowing the use of the device in a confidential manner without the need to actually look at the device, it does not solve the problem of how to obtain the count from the counter without undue time and effort. Such a tactile display requires the proper orientation of the device, sufficient sensitivity and coordination in the fingers, and the time to interpret the object being touched.
What is needed is a counter that provides, but does not require a visual readout. The counter should provide a tactile output that does not require specific orientation of the counter, digital coordination or sensitivity. The counter should be silent during operation and compact enough to be easily hidden. The counter should be adaptable for use with one or more card counting strategies, typically having different levels of demands on the player for information input. Each strategy should be associated with one of a number of modes between which the player may alternate depending on the number of types of cards the player feels comfortable counting.